Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi Dies in Helicopter Crash

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi Dies in Helicopter Crash

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi , Dies in Helicopter Crash.

Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and other officials died after their helicopter crashed in northwestern Iran on May 19, Reuters reports.

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Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and other officials died after their helicopter crashed in northwestern Iran on May 19, Reuters reports.

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The president is survived by his wife, Jamileh Alamolhoda, and two daughters.

First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber will serve as interim president.

Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani will serve as acting foreign minister.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a statement.

I announce five days of public mourning and offer my condolences to the dear people of Iran, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, via statement.

Iran's neighbors and allies offered condolences, with Vladimir Putin calling Raisi "a true friend of Russia.".

Raisi's death comes as dissent in Iran continues to grow amid "political, social and economic crises," Reuters reports.

An election to appoint a new president must occur within 50 days.

Overall, Iranian policy will not likely change due to the fact that the Guardian Council must vet candidates.

The council has previously disqualified "prominent conservative and moderate officials," Reuters reports